Shooting Interviews
This LinkedIn Learning course is a must-see for anyone shooting documentaries. It includes invaluable information about how to light, stage. and film an interview.
Welcome from Video Foundations: Interviews by Anthony Q. Artis
Composition
Although you will be capturing real events unfolding in real time, you can still be creative about how you compose your shots. See the links below for more information about the techniques of composition.
The most basic consideration for shooting video is how to frame your shot:
Extreme Long Shot: Very wide shot, often for landscapes
Long Shot: From head to toe
photo from flickr by Adam Lerner
Medium Long Shot: From the knees up
Medium Shot: From the waist up
Medium Close Up: Includes the head and shoulders
Close Up: Frames the face
photo from flickr by Ryan Li
Extreme Close Up: Tight framing shows a detail in the scene
photo from flickr by Elaine
Camera Movement
Pan: Camera scans x axis from static position (swivels side to side)
Tilt: Camera scans y axis from static position (swivels up & down)
Tracking: Camera tracks subject along x axis (moves side to side)
Crane: Camera tracks subject along y axis (moves up and down)
Dolly: Camera tracks subject along z axis (moves forward and back)
Handheld: Camera held by operator for natural movement effect
A-Roll/B-roll
In documentary filmmaking, A-Roll is generally your interview footage, while B-roll is the supporting footage inserted between the interview clips. Some types of documentaries (poetic, observational) do not have this structure and consist entirely of A-Roll footage.
Filming Tips
CHECK YOUR BATTERIES & EQUIPMENT: This is something you want to check and double-check. Nothing is worse than being out on a shoot and having to call it quits because your camera died.
TAKE YOUR PLANNING MATERIALS: Don't forget to take your interview questions, maps, release forms, storyboards, and anything else you prepared for your shoot.
USE A TRIPOD: Using a tripod is a much-overlooked aspect of filmmaking. Your footage will look a lot more professional.
AVOID ZOOMING: Zooming is an art. Films with a lot of zooming resemble home movies.
STICK TO ONE ASPECT RATIO: Pick one aspect ratio (16:9 or 4:3) in your camera settings and don't change it. It will make editing much easier.
SHOOT MORE THAN (YOU THINK) IS NECESSARY: If you're not quite sure if you got the take right, try it again while you have everyone in place. Scheduling reshoots is difficult and inconvenient!
